Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 14

Streamer
Fishing
for Trout

by John Allen

photos by the author

swimming. From one trout to another and from one day
to another, it can seem like the fish want one presentation
or the other. A lot of days, I will find a rhythm in my
retrieve that will just click all day long and will produce
fish. In those days, I do not change flies at all. There are
Your fly hits the water at the edge of an undercut bank.
other days when you will get a quick flash from a fish
In the middle of your first strip of line, you spot a large,
laying under a log. Then, you will spend the next hour
dark mass moving towards your fly. On your next strip,
trying to catch the fish.
the mass moves again with your fly. You decide to give it
The best way to make a retrieve "come alive" is to
a little variation, and the mass suddenly turns into a large
practice. In most instances, a sequence of strip, strip,
trout smashing your fly. The rest is history. For me, this
where each strip is about 6 to 10 inches, followed by a
is the single biggest rush in fly fishing. Dry fly fishing is
2-second pause and repeat will be good for getting fish
fun, but streamer fishing doesn't need a hatch. You are
to at least inspect your fly and tell you that there are
in charge of getting the fish to strike. Anyone who has
fish present. This sequence works best when casting
ever gone trout fishing with me has seen the rush that I
downstream and bringing it back upstream. Once I know a
experience from a streamer caught trout.
pool has trout in it, I tend to slow down my retrieve. I will
To be effective at streamer fishing for trout, you need
either try a dead drift as you would while nymphing or a
to understand what you are imitating. In most cases, you
bouncing retrieve. I will do a longer first strip of maybe
are imitating a minnow. Depending on how you choose
12 to 15 inches, followed by a 3- or 4-second pause while
to retrieve the fly, it can look like it is injured, drifting or
lowering my rod tip. Then, I will lift the
rod again on the next strip and repeat. This
creates a bouncing effect from the fly and can
be effective when trout are pooled together.
This method works well casting either
parallel to where you are standing or slightly
upstream and then bouncing it through the
pool. If the water is not running too fast, you
can also try this method casting downstream
and bringing it upstream. Make sure your
fly is not too heavily weighted or it will get
On a normal day, I use one BB splitshot about 4 inches above the fly.

14

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * September/October 2019	

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 4
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - 14
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - September/October 2019 - Cover4
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